Tickets for the Columbia High School production of “Music Man” go on sale online at 7 a.m. Saturday.
Director Kimberly Walley said tickets will be available for the March 2 and March 3 performances at chsmusical.brownpapertickets.com for $15 and are expected to sell out quickly.
Both performances are at 7:30 p.m.
“Rehearsals are going well,” she said. “It’s a little hairy, but the last three weeks always are. The kids are excited. They’re very good kids.”
The cast was selected in December, and rehearsals began shortly after.
“We started the first week of January when we came back from break,” Walley said. “It’s coming together. We will have everything blocked by the end of this week and be running straight rehearsals after that for the last two weeks.”
The musical takes place in the recently renovated Crystelle Ford Auditorium and will be the first chance many people have to see the facility since the changes have been made. Walley said the lighting is “incredible” and they’re also excited about the improved seats and sound.
“Music Man” also holds a special meaning for Walley because it was the first musical she saw as a child.
And the classic story of a con man who sells musical instruments to an Iowa town to create a boys band, only to have a change of heart when he falls in love with the librarian, is familiar to Columbia audiences. It was first performed as the CHS musical in 1986 and again in 2003.
This year marks the 40th time Columbia High students have performed a musical at the school.
Lots of talent found in ‘Music Man’ cast
The lead role of Harold Hill in the Columbia High production of “Music Man” will be played by Lane Smith in the Blue Cast and Harrison Foxworth in the Gold Cast. The CHS musical traditionally has a different cast of lead characters for each night.
This year’s cast of leads includes Liza Hathorn and La’Keirah Sims as Marian Paroo, Christian McCance as Oliver Hix (quartet) on both nights, Aarion Watts as Olin Britt (quartet) both nights, Kolton Sorrell as Jacey Squires (quartet) and Bryce Ramshur (quarter) on both nights.
Marcellus Washburn will be played by Drayton Purvis on both nights. Eulalie Mackecknie Shin will be played by Sawyer McDowell and Carson Lawley. Jacob Brown will play Mayor Shinn for both performances.
Mrs. Paroo will be played by Sadie Willis and Kennedy Newson; Winthrop Paroo will be played both nights by Olivia Carney. Alma Hix will be portrayed by Molly Monk both nights, and Kayla Hammond is featured as Maude Dunlop both nights.
Also performing both nights are Jennifer Stringer as Ethel Toffelmier, Sarah Mason as Mrs. Squires, Brennan Wells as Tommy Djilas, Hannah Watts as Zaneeta Shinn, Gracie Purvis as Amarylis, Cole Bourne as Constable Locke, Christian Spiers as Charlie Cowell, Jacob Brown as salesman No. 1, Jason Ball as salesman No. 2, Brennan Wells as salesman No. 3, Elijah Pilcher as salesman No. 4, Drayton Purvis as salesman No. 5 and Lanna King as newspaper reader No. 1.
The “Kids Band” includes Olivia Carney, Gracie Purvis, Amber Wascomb, Amanin Sheikh, Brennan Wells, Maurice Sims and Kyle Buckley.
The “Pick a Little Ladies/Grecian Urn Dancers” are Angeni Cahanin, Layla Herbert, Lanna King, Jada Barnes, Sarah King, Abby King, Jessica Morris, Kennedy Browning, Leah Nolan, Elizabeth Sanford, Jade Thompson, Jireh Spencer, Sawyer McDowell, Carson Lawley, Molly Monk, Kayla Hammond, Sarah Mason and Jennifer Stringer.
Dancers include Madison Phillips, Elizabeth Knight, Joy Magee, Jade Slemaker, Carley Davis, Dasia Allen, Daysha Wilson, Eboni Hayes, Mica Novinski and Abby Morris.
Deputies are Trayvin Woodward, Gavin Fairburn and Zachary Sanders.
Pictured Above: Harrison Foxworth, center, who plays the lead role of Harold Hill on the gold cast, dances with the cast of “Music Man” during a rehearsal this week at Columbia High School. The performance is coming up March 2 and March 3. | Photo by Mark Rogers
